Viburnum plant named ‘NCVX1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Viburnum  cultivar plant named ‘NCVX1’ is disclosed, characterized by highly glossy, semi-evergreen foliage, which exhibits Fall color of red to purple. Plants are compact with a uniquely prostrate branching habit. Abundant cymes are produced with 150 to 400 florets. The new variety is a  Viburnum  normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Classification: Viburnum hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘NCVX1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Viburnum, hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘NCVX1’. This new Viburnum was developed through a breeding program at North Carolina State University, Mills River, N.C. ‘NCVX1’ was selected from a population of seedlings grown from an open-pollinated F₁ hybrid Viburnum (lobophyllum×japonicum) ‘Huron’ (unpatented) growing in an isolation block with Viburnum (japonicum×dilatatum) ‘Chippewa’ (unpatented).

The first asexual propagation of ‘NCVX1’ was carried out in July 2009 by rooting stem cuttings at the North Carolina State University, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, Mills River, N.C. and has been asexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and in tissue culture over a 5 year period. ‘NCVX1’ roots readily from softwood cuttings treated with a basal dip of 4,000-5,000 ppm indole butyric acid (potassium salt) in water. ‘NCVX1’ has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new cultivar when grown under standard horticultural practices at North Carolina State University, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, Mills River, N.C.

-   -   1. Compact form with dense, prostrate, branching habit.     -   2. Semi-evergreen with highly glossy foliage.     -   3. Abundant cymes containing 150-400 small white florets.     -   4. Red to purple fall and winter foliage color.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

‘NCVX1’ is distinguished from its female parent Viburnum ‘Huron’ by its growth habit and foliage. ‘NCVX1’ has a compact, prostrate habit and extremely glossy, semi-evergreen leaves. Viburnum ‘Huron’ is a large upright shrub with dull, semi-evergreen leaves. ‘NCVX1’ is distinguished from Viburnum ‘Chippewa’ in that ‘NCVX1’ has a compact, mounding habit and Viburnum ‘Chippewa’ is a large, upright, rounded shrub.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL VARIETIES

‘NCVX1’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to Viburnum ‘Heneke’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,870. The new variety however differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘NCVX1’ has a red flush to the mature foliage, this         comparator has entirely green foliage.     -   2. ‘NCVX1’ has burgundy Fall foliage, not seen in this         comparator.

‘NCVX1’ can also be compared to Viburnum ‘Michael Dodge’, unpatented. The new variety however differs in the following:

-   -   1. ‘NCVX1’ has dark green foliage with a red flush. ‘Michael         Dodge’ has light green foliage.     -   2. ‘NCVX1’ has broader and rounder foliage than ‘Michael Dodge’.     -   3. ‘NCVX1’ has burgundy Fall foliage. ‘Michael Dodge’ has orange         Fall foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new Viburnum is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's form, foliage and inflorescences. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1. Shows cymes with multiple florets in April 2014 in Mills River, N.C.

FIG. 2. Shows glossiness of foliage of a young container-grown plant in April 2014 in Mills River, N.C.

FIG. 3. Shows the overall habit of a container-grown plant in April 2014 in Mills River, N.C.

FIG. 4. Shows the fall and winter foliage color in November 2013 in Arden, N.C.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘NCVX1’. The detailed description was taken on 4-year-old plants growing in Mills River, N.C. in April 2014. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2001 Edition.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical name.—Viburnum ‘NCVX1’.         -   Common name.—Viburnum. -   Parentage: Seedling from an open-pollinated, F₁ hybrid Viburnum     (lobophyllum×japonicum) ‘Huron’ (unpatented) growing in an isolation     block with Viburnum (japonicum×dilatatum) ‘Chippewa’ (unpatented). -   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Prostrate to rounded with compact, dense             branching habit.         -   Height.—50-55 cm at maturity.         -   Width.—70-80 cm at maturity. -   Stem:     -   -   Immature stem texture.—Finely pubescent, lenticelled.         -   Immature stem color.—Yellow-Green (146C) flushed             Greyed-Purple (183B).         -   Mature stem texture.—Glabrous, lenticelled.         -   Mature stem color.—Grey-Brown (N199A).         -   Lateral branch length.—Avg. 25 cm (typical range: 18 to 35             cm).         -   Internode length.—5 to 10.5 cm. -   Foliage: -   Leaves:     -   -   Persistence.—Semi-evergreen or tardily deciduous.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—Avg. 11.3 cm (typical range: 8.0 to 13.0 cm).         -   Width.—Avg. 7.7 cm (typical range: 5.8 to 10.0 cm).         -   Shape.—Ovate to broad-ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute to acuminate.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Margin.—Entire, undulate, toothed at apex.         -   Emerging leaves.—Color: Upper: Yellow-Green (144A) flushed             with Red (46B). Lower: Yellow-Green (146C). Texture: Glossy,             sparsely pubescent on both sides.         -   Mature leaves during growing season.—Color: Upper:             Grayed-Green (N 189). Lower: Yellow-Green (147B). Venation:             Grey-Purple (183C) to Yellow-Green (146D), both upper and             lower sides. Texture: Upper side glossy and slightly             pubescent; glabrous below.         -   Fall foliage color.—Upper: Ranging between and including             Greyed-Red (178A) to Greyed-Purple (183A). Lower:             Yellow-Green (147C).         -   Petiole.—Length: Avg. 1.5 cm (typical range: 1.2 to 2.0 cm).             Width: Avg. 0.18 cm (typical range: 0.15 to 0.22 cm).             Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: Yellow-Green (146C),             upper and lower. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Description.—Rounded, umbel-like cyme.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—150-400.         -   Flowering season.—Early May.         -   Flower longevity.—2-3 weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Inflorescence height.—Avg. 4.0 cm (typical range: 3.0 to 5.0             cm).         -   Inflorescence diameter.—Avg. 9.0 cm (typical range: 7.5-10.5             cm).         -   Flower diameter.—Avg. 0.58 cm (typical range: 0.5 to 0.8             cm).         -   Flower depth.—Avg. 0.38 cm (typical range: 0.25 to 0.4 cm).         -   Flower bud.—Length: Less than 0.2 cm. Diameter: Less than             0.2 cm. Shape: Round. Color: Ranging from Yellow-Green             (150C) to White (155A).         -   Petals.—Number: 5. Length: Avg. 0.3 cm (typical range: 0.26             to 0.32 cm). Width: Avg. 0.26 cm (typical range: 0.23 to             0.29 cm). Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: White (155C).         -   Sepals.—Number: 5. Length: Less than 0.1 cm. Width: Less             than 0.1 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.             Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous. Color: White (155C).         -   Peduncle.—Length: Avg. 1.56 cm (typical range: 1.2 to 2.5             cm). Width: Avg. 0.12 cm (typical range: 0.08 to 0.15 cm).             Color: Yellow-Green (146C to 146D). Texture: Glabrous.         -   Pedicels.—Length: Avg. 0.32 cm (typical range: 0.15 to 0.5             cm). Diameter: Less than 0.1 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color:             Yellow-Green (146C to 146D). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil number: About 3. Pistil length: About             0.05 cm. Stigma shape: 3-lobed. Stigma color: White (155C).             Style length: Less than 0.05 cm. Style color: White (155C).         -   Androecium.—Stamen number: 5. Anther shape: Round. Anther             width: Less than 0.05 cm. Anther color: Orange-White (159B).             Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: White (155C).

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruit/seed set: None observed. -   Disease and insect resistance: No significant disease or insect     pests have been observed. -   Cold hardiness: At least USDA zone 6b; testing not completed in     colder zones. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Viburnum plant named ‘NCVX1’ as illustrated and described herein. 